Accessory for use in playing word forming game



Nov. 25, 1969 v w. J. CONLEY.

ACCESSORY FOR USE IN PLAYING WORD FORMING GAME} Filed March 27 1967 TNSLMYBXZ ARHFUPVJ United States Patent US. Cl. 273-148 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Game apparatus having a playing board with a horizontal row of numerals from 1 to 9 and three horizontal rows of letters from A to Z thereon, the latter also being in vertical columns directly below the numerals, each letter being disposed below a numeral of a value proportional to the relative frequency of the appearance of the letter. Also included are cubical playing pieces with numerals thereon that match those .on the board, and supplementary, wedge-shaped members bearing alphabetical letters to cover and replace selected letters on the board. Below the rows of numerals and letters on the board are a plurality of blank horizontal lanes to receive the playing pieces.

.The principal object .of my invention is to provide a game that makes a contest out of assembling letters that could form words, but at the same time trying to avoid using a letter that completes a word.

Another object is to provide parts of the game, including alphabetical letters and numerals on a game board, and numerals on playing pieces, that are capable of coordinate use to make the playing of an educational game quite exciting.

A further object is to provide supplementary members that can be used on the playing board to change the arrangement of alphabetical letters thereon to thereby give variety to playing the game, and which members are so formed to make it convenient to place them on, or remove them from, the board when it is covered with said members closely adjacent each other.

The foregoing and other objects, which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, may be accomplished by a construction, combination and arrangement such as is disclosed by the drawing. The nature of the invention is such as to render it susceptible to various changes and modifications, and therefore I am not to be limited to the construction disclosed by the drawing, nor to the particular parts described in the specification; but am entitled to all such changes therefrom as fall within the scope of my claims.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view showing my game board, and indicating, by the position of playing pieces on the lower half of said board, a game in progress.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, top plan view showing a wedge-shaped member bearing the letter (S) On a square of said board, covering a letter (T) on the latter square to thus serve as a substitute therefor.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a playing piece with a Roman numeral and other Arabic numerals thereon.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a supplementary, wedge-shaped member with an alphabetic letter (S) thereon.

As illustrated, my game apparatus has a playing board 10 which is shown divided by surface lines thereon into squares 12. A horizontal upper row 14 of nine squares has numerals 1 through 9 appearing consecutively thereon running left to right. These numerals represent cer- 3,480,278 Patented Nov. 25, 1969 ice tain rewards in playing the game. Below said row 14 are three rows 16, 18 and 20 in vertical alinement with row 14 and each having nine of said squares 12, and on which twenty-six alphabetical letters appear, there being one blank or unlettered square. For instance, at the extreme left, under the numeral 1 are the letters E, T and A in vertical arrangement. These three letters occur frequently in words commonly used, hence use of any one of them in forming a word earns only a small numerical reward, namely 1 point.

, In the next vertical row of letters under numeral 2 appear O, N and R. These are frequently used in forming words, although their use is usually less than those in the first vertical column, namely E, T and A, hence use of any one letter therein in forming a word earns a reward of 2 points, as indicated by the 2 in said upper row 14. Other alphabetical letters appear in vertical columns on the board under the numerals 3-9 inclusive. The higher the numeral in a vertical row the less frequently are the letters likely to be used that are directly below. In the last vertical row, under the numeral 9, appear the letters Q and Z and a blank space. These latter two letters are the least used of all in the alphabet, hence use of either in forming a word earns 9 points as a reward.

Below said horizontal row 20 are a plurality of blank horizontal playing lanes 22, 24 and 26. These latter lanes are used for convenience in playing the game, as later explained.

I provide nine playing pieces 30 in each playing set, which pieces are shown in the form of cubes. The cubes in each set have a color distinct from those in any other set, such as blue, red, and white. On one face of a cube a Roman numeral preferably appears, such as V shown in FIG. 3, and also Arabic numerals appear on each cube, preferably five, chosen from the numbers 1 to 9, such as l, 2, 7, 8 and 9. Another would have, for 'instance, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 and II.

On each said cube 30 the set of numbers differs somewhat from the set on any other cube, hence there, are no duplicates. Since five of the numbers between 1 and 9 appear on live different faces of each cube, there are forty-five different numbers, in addition to the Roman numerals from I to IX, appearing on a set of nine cubes.

While there need not necessarily be nine cubes, nor twenty-six letters on said board 10, nevertheless it is helpful and convenient to have them.

The alphabetical letters on said squares 12 should be varied as players become very familiar with their arrangement. To accomplish this I provide some supplementary members 34 that carry an alphabeticalletter on one face thereof, such as G, N or W, for intance. These members are wedge-shaped blocks, that in position of use have an upper face 36 that slants downwardly from rear to front as shown in FIG. 4 and on which a said alphabetical letter appears.

Said members 34 are placed on said squares 12 so as to cover the letters thereon with different letters; but in no particular alphabetical or other border. There are twentyseven members 34 one of which should be blank on its upper face 36 to correspond with the blank square shown on said playing board 10 in the lower right corner, although said blank member need not necessarily be placed to cover said latter corner.

The wedge shape is important since letters on said faces 36 may easily be read because they are higher at the rear and lower at the front and thus slant downwardly. Also when the members are in turned-over position they may be picked up easily and placed upright correctly without having to examine the letter in order to correctly place it on a said square. This is especially helpful with letters that can be read as one or another depending upon their position, as, for instance, M and W. Also this shape avoids contacting or interfering with members 34 already in position, and in general speeds up setting the letters on the board correctly.

Two or more players may play the game. Each player uses a set of playing pieces 30, one of which he rolls or tosses. The player who tosses the highest number starts first. He places a playing piece 30 on said lane 22, preferably a piece bearing the Roman numeral corresponding to the number he tossed and with said numeral face up. In scoring he is permitted to double the Roman numeral. If, for instance, the first player tossed a 5, which gives him points to start with, he must start with the letters in the vertical column under 5, namely C, M and U. He must know a word that starts with either C, M or U, and any other player may challenge him to state the Word. He may answer that it is cat or must, etc.

The player who rolled the next highest number now selects one of his pieces 30, preferably one that has a high number on a face, such as 9, provided he knows a Word that starts with C, M or U, and the next letter is either Q or Z. If he doesnt know any, he may select 8, for instance, knowing of the word ukase. However, if he so selects he will end that game since X is also in column 8 and the players may agree that ux is a word. This would end that game and the only score is 10, made by the first player.

However, if the second player knows of the word ubiety he would place a piece 30 with the numeral 7 face up in the lane 22 next to the V piece that belongs to the first player. He thereby gets credit for 7 points since b is in column 7. Play continues with the next player (or the first player if only two are playing), who may, for instance, select a said piece 30 having 3 on it to thereby furnish the letter i (in the column under 3) thereby scoring 3 points. The next player may know of the word ubique, consequently he chooses a piece having 9 on it which he places in lane 22 after the 3, giving him 9 points, since q is under 9.

The game continues until a letter completes a word.

Since the player next to start a game may obtain the highest Roman numeral IX, which he doubles in scoring, provided he knows of a word starting with Q or Z, there is a substantial advantage in starting.

If a player finds that the pieces he has left in his set do not have any numeral that he can use to help spell a word, he loses his turn. Thus as the game progresses a player has to plan the spelling of a word, using numerals he has left on his pieces 30, as Well as avoiding finishing a word. Also a player gains an advantage by so assembling letters of a word that his opponents may have to complete the word before his next turn comes around.

The use of a Roman numeral on a said piece 30 is desirable, but it is not essential. In event of its omission the numeral that is face up would count at its face value.

Those who play repeatedly may become so well acquainted with the arrangement of alphabetic letters appearing on said board 10 that the game may lose interest with them. Said playing members 34 may be used to cover all squares 12, or some of them, thus giving different letters under the numerals 1 to 9, which will require knowledge of words not possible to use before so covering the squares.

What I claim is:

1. Game apparatus comprising a playing board having a horizontal row of numerals, a plurality of horizontal rows of alphabetical letters in non-alphabetical order, said letters being so positioned that they are respectively in vertical alinement with said numerals, thus providing vertical columns each having a numeral and a plurality of said letters, playing pieces having a plurality of faces, different numerals appearing on said faces some of which are the same as those appearing in said horizontal row.

2. Game apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said numerals in said horizontal rows being those from 1 to 9 inclusive, said alphabetical letters being those from A to Z inclusive.

3. Game apparatus as set forth in claim 1, and supplementary members having a wedge shape and each having a face, an alphabetical letter on each said face, an upper portion of each latter letter being at the higher portion of each said member whereby said letters in reading position slant downwardly from rear to front of said supplementary members when the latter are in position of use.

4. Game apparatus as set forth in claim 1, there being three said horizontal rows of alphabetical letters on two of which only nine of said letters appear and on one of which only eight of said. letters appear, said letters being those from A to Z inclusive.

5. Game apparatus as set forth in claim 4, said numerals in said horizontal row being those from 1 to 9 inclusive in numerical order from left to right.

6. Game apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which said row of numerals has numerals only therein.

7. Game apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which said alphabetical letters include Y and Z.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,354,910 10/1920 Ketchum. 3,195,895 7/1965 Kropinski 273 DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,480 278 November 25 1969 William J. Conley It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 4, line 22, "rows" should read row Signed and sealed this 20th day of October 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, IR. 

